Diamond wins GOP nomination in 102nd District

Incumbent criticizes "personal attacks" from primary race

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Rep. Russ Diamond celebrates after he was declared the winner of the Republican primary in the 102nd Pennsylvania House District race as voters headed to the polls to vote in the Pennsylvania primary election on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.(Photo: Jeremy Long, Lebanon Daily News)Buy Photo

Russ Diamond narrowly won his second Republican nomination Tuesday for state representative in the 102nd Legislative District, according to unofficial election results - and he had strong words for what he called "personal attacks" from people in the Lebanon County Republican Party opposing him in both elections.

“I will serve with dignity and honor, and continue to be accessible and transparent, and I hope that going forward that negative campaigns based on deception and lies are put out of their misery in Lebanon County," the one-term incumbent said during a victory speech at the Lincoln Republican Club on Ninth Street in Lebanon..

Diamond didn't get to declare victory until nearly 10:30 p.m. thanks to a tight race and long lines at polling locations, which required some to remain open well past the 8 p.m. voting deadline, according to Lebanon County Republican Committee Chairman Casey Long.

“I think someone at the county was playing tricks with my ticker tonight, being so slow with the results,” Diamond joked.

Diamond received 6,080 votes and his opponent, Tom Houtz, received 4,880 with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial election results.

A small business owner and truck driver from Annville, Diamond first gained statewide attention in 2005 when he led anti-incumbent organization PA Clean Sweep after the controversial legislative midnight pay raise. He won the 102nd District's house seat in 2014.

“I think there are enough people out there who realize that when I put my nose to the grindstone, I get things done, and I do it in the way it should be done.”

State Representative Russ Diamond

Diamond won the Republican nomination for the open 102nd District's house seat in 2014 after knocking fellow Republicans Wanda Bechtold and Joe Eisenhauer off of the ballot by challenging their nominating petitions. He then defeated Democrat Jake Long and and two other candidates with a 45-percent plurality in the 2014 general election.

The 2014 race contained considerable personal invective, including a YouTube video that surfaced that appeared to show Diamond criticizing police and Rep. Mauree Gingrich saying he was unfit for office. Diamond criticized negative campaigning after winning that election, and repeated that view Tuesday.

“There are some people that will just fall for anything, and I’m sad that they will, but I think there are enough people out there who realize that when I put my nose to the grindstone, I get things done, and I do it in the way it should be done," he said.

Houtz is a Jackson Township supervisor and a former Mayor of Myerstown. When announcing his candidacy, he described himself as a "pro-family, pro-life candidate" who has proven an ability to provide government services without raising taxes.

He did not immediately respond to a phone call requesting comment Tuesday night.

The 2016 general election will be a rematch between Diamond and Long, a retired Hershey chocolate worker. Long ran unopposed in Tuesday's Democratic primary and received 3,360 votes, more than 99 percent of all votes cast, according to unofficial election results.

Diamond described his relationship with Long as one of "old friends" and said he looks forward to a campaign focused on the issues.